Coach Cal Endows McLendon MLI Future Leader Position
CLEVELAND – The John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation (“McLendon Foundation”) today announced that UK basketball coach John Calipari has endowed a McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative (“Minority Leadership Initiative,” or “MLI”) Future Leader position at North Carolina Central University where the McLendon Foundation’s namesake, John B. McLendon, coached from 1941–52.
NCCU basketball coach and CIAA Hall of Fame inductee LeVelle Moton will serve as an Ambassador, providing mentorship to the campus’s Future Leader.
Last week, the McLendon Foundation announced a partnership with more than 50 collegiate coaches to launch the MLI. The coach-driven initiative will provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship. Participants in the initiative will be known as MLI Future Leaders.
“North Carolina Central University is where Coach McLendon got his first opportunity at the collegiate level,” Calipari said. “I’m grateful to be able to honor his legacy by helping provide that same opportunity to a Future Leader on NCCU’s campus.”
Said Moton, "Coach Cal and I have been good friends for years. Not only is he a man of integrity, but a man of action. I'm grateful for his friendship and his quest to provoke necessary change while continuing the legacy of John McLendon."
During his 12 years at North Carolina Central, Coach McLendon led the Eagles to eight CIAA championships. McLendon also helped organize “The Secret Game” vs. Duke University, which is regarded as the first college basketball game where black and white players competed on the same court.
More information regarding the MLI, including a pre-application for interested and qualified individuals, can be found at MinorityLeaders.org.
